Murex purpurea 200c

Murx.
Murex purpurea
Give me chastity and continence, but not just now.
[St. Augustine]
Signs
Murex brandaris, Murex trunculus [and other species]. Purple Snail.
CLASSIFICATION Of the marine animals employed in homoeopathy, Murex is the only one belonging to the large class Gastropoda, which consists of some 60,000 species of whelks, slugs, limpets, conches and snails. Gastropods are among the few groups of animals to have successfully invaded all types of habitat in ocean, fresh water, and on land.
GASTROPODS Basically walking stomachs [gastro = stomach or belly; pod = foot] with a well-developed gastrointestinal system, gastropods are scavengers or predators. The head is usually well developed, bearing eyes and tentacles. The broad, tapered, muscular foot secretes mucus and works by making ripples to allow the gastropod to glide. The animal can fully retreat into the shell through a roundish opening, which is then covered by a lid, the operculum. In cowries this opening is narrow and toothed. Characteristic also is the radula, a straplike tongue with rows of teeth on it, used for moving food to the back of the mouth and cutting plant material. A few gastropods have evolved their radula to bore holes in the shell of other molluscs to get food. Gastropods have a very limited sensory capacity. Aside from the shell-less slugs, gastropods have a soft outer organ called the mantle which deposits the shell by forming calcium carbonate crystals in a layered construction. Production of new shell material is influenced by several factors: sexual hormones, intrinsic rhythms, diet, acidity of water and temperature of water. The shell is hollow; it has no subdivisions on its interior. Most gastropods are marine, some are terrestrial, such as certain species of snails and slugs. Slugs are snails that have lost their shells through evolution in order to be able to fit into smaller places.
MUREX Murex is a member of the large family Muricidae, which has more than 500 species. Murex shells are famous for having a huge variety of ornamentation and sculptured wings or fronds. They have often very thick, colourful, spiral shells and can have delicate webbing or long thin spines. All Murex species are carnivorous or scavengers. Preying on other molluscs, notably bivalves such as clams, mussels and oysters, they use three methods to reach the soft animal within: a secretion for making holes into shells, drilling holes, or wedging open a shell. Muricids also eat shrimp, sponge and algae. As the teeth grind the shell of the prey another organ secrets a fluid that slowly dissolves the calcium carbonate of the shell; a process which may take from 20 up to 150 hours. Muricids are commonly found either in rocky habitats or in mud and sand. Some produce purple pigment, once used to make dye.
CONSTITUENTS "[The dye] is produced as a colourless secretion by glands embedded in the mantle space of Murex species found in the Mediterranean and particularly the Adriatic Sea. On contact with air, the colourless compound is catalysed by an enzyme purpurase into purple dibromoindigo. This compound, however, does not appear to be an active principle; at least so far no pharmacological actions of it have been established. One active compound found in the purple glands of Murex is murexine, a choline-derivative of ß-[4-imidazolyl]-acrylic acid [urocanic acid]. Urocanic acid arises from histidine by deamination. From its choline-ester murexine a strong cholinergic action is to be expected. The toxicity of murexine for other animals has been confirmed. It is, however, probably not wholly responsible for the effects of Murex purpurea, for the secretion also contains 5-hydroxytryptamine which is strongly active both on the central nervous system and peripherally on smooth muscle. The acute toxic and sometimes fatal effects which are on record from eating purple snails are the same as those occasioned by other molluscs [for instance the Conus species], and are probably due to protozoans [Dinoflagellata] transmitted by these animals."1 5-Hydroxy-tryptamine [serotonin] is an important neurotransmitter in vertebrate brains, playing a major role in determining feelings of depression or euphoria, isolation or gregariousness.
POISONING Murex brandaris and Ostrea edulis [oyster] are among the molluscs that have been implicated in paralytic shellfish poisoning. "Paralytic shellfish poisoning is known variously as gonyaulax poisoning, paraesthetic shellfish poisoning, mussel poisoning, or mytilointoxication. Pathognomonic symptoms develop within the first 30 minutes following the ingestion of the offending mollusc. Paraesthesia, described as tingling, burning or numbness is noted first about the mouth, lips and tongue; it then spreads over the face, scalp and neck, and to the finger tips and toes. Sensory perception and proprioception are affected to the point that the individual moves incoordinately, and in a manner similar to that seen in another more common form of intoxication. Ataxia, incoherent speech or aphonia are prominent signs in severe poisonings. The patient complains of dizziness, tightness of the throat and chest and some pain on deep inspiration. Weakness, malaise, headache, increased salivation and perspiration, thirst, and nausea and vomiting may be present. The pulse is usually thready and rapid; the superficial reflexes are often absent and the deep reflexes may be hypoactive. If muscular weakness and respiratory distress grow progressively more severe during the first 8 hours, death may ensue. If the victim survives the first 10-12 hours the prognosis is good. Death is usually attributed to 'respiratory paralysis]. The case fatality rate varies from 1 to 10%."2
PURPLE There are various muricids that contain purple pigments. The hypobranchial glands of certain Murex species produce a secretion that at first is colourless or yellow but on exposure to sunlight becomes reddish purple and gives off a strong foetid odour. Tyrian purple is a deep crimson called purpura in Latin. Mentioned in texts dating about 1600 BC, this dye was prepared by a process known to inhabitants of the ancient city of Tyre in Phoenicia [now Lebanon]. The pigment was most probably obtained from purple-producing muricids such as Murex brandaris, Murex trunculus, and Purpura lapillus, which are found on the shores of the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. Some 10,000 muricids were needed to make 1 gram of the dye. Tyrian purple was the luxury dye of the ancient world, and the Imperial Purple for the Romans. The association with royalty, majesty and status is reflected in the expression 'born to the purple', being destined for leadership. In Babylon, idols were clothed in tyrian purple cloth. Rome's emperor Nero was the only person in the empire allowed to wear tyrian purple cloth. In the late 4th century Emperor Theodosium of Byzantium issued a decree forbidding the use of certain shades of purple except by the Imperial family on pain of death. Around 400 AD Murex shells become scarce due to huge demand and over-harvesting for the Romans. Tyrian purple was also used in the preparation of purple ink and in dyeing parchments upon which the codices of Byzantium were written. Although originating in Tyre, man's first large-scale dyestuff industry spread throughout the world. With the decline of the Roman Empire, the use of the dye also declined and production ceased altogether with the fall of Constantinople in 1453. It was replaced by other cheaper dyes like lichen purple [archil or orchil] and madder. Biblical colorants as argaman and tekhelet [hyacinthine purple] are thought to have been derived from Murex brandaris [dibromoindigo] and Murex trunculus [mixture of indigo and dibromoindigo], respectively. The purple colour develops through a number of changes by exposure to sunlight, which is described by William Cole in 1685 thus: "If placed in the Sun [it] will change into the following colours, i.e. , if in the winter about noon, if in the summer an hour or two after sunrise and so much before setting [for in the heat of the day the colours will come on so fast, that the succession of each colour will scarce be distinguishable] next to the first light green will appear a deep green; and in a few minutes this will change into a dull sea green; after which, in a few minutes more, it will alter into a watchet blue; from that in a little time more it will be purplish red; after which, lying an hour or two [supposing the Sun still shining] it will be of a very deep purple red; beyond which the Sun can do no more."
SYMBOLISM The snail is a traditional lunar symbol, for it appears and disappears. As signs of the cycle of death and rebirth, they represent the eternal homecoming. Its spiral-shaped shell is a natural symbol of the labyrinth and the underground cavern. The snail itself signifies slowness and voluptuousness. In Christianity it denotes sloth, also sin as feeding on mud and slime. The Aztecs saw the sea-snail as a birth-symbol, 'as the marine animal comes out of its shell, so is man born from the womb of his mother.' The shell and uncoiling body also combined female and male sexual symbolism. "Like all molluscs, the snail displays sexual symbolism in the analogy between its substance, motion and excretions with those of the vulva. It also symbolizes the enduring within the changeable. 'The helical shape of the land- and sea-snail's shell provides an universal glyph of the eternity of being within the fluctuations of change.' In Benin snails are regarded as reservoirs of semen."3
PROVINGS •• [1] Petroz - 3 [female] provers, 1841; method: daily dose of 4x for 5-7 days.
•• [2] Rushmore - 1 [female] prover; method: 3rd trit., twice daily for 6 days.
•• [3] Hering - 3 [female] patients, 1852; method: 200th dil., three doses at intervals of ten days.
[1] Leeser, The Molluscs: Murex and Sepia; BHJ, Jan. 1960. [2] Russell, Poisonous Marine Animals. [3] Chevalier and Gheerbrant, Dictionary of Symbols.
Affinity
FEMALE SEXUAL ORGANS. Kidneys. * Right side.
Modalities
Worse: Touch. In sun. Sitting. Abortion. Exertion. After sleep. Must lie down but lying down aggravates all symptoms. During menses. Menopause. After eating. At night.
Better: Before menses. Eating. Sitting and crossing the limbs. Walking. During leucorrhoea. Support. Pressure.
Main symptoms
M HIGHLY-SEXED, even nymphomania.
• "Violently excited sexually from least contact of parts; excessive desire for coition." [Allen]
• "I will explain to you. The prover has not dared write all that she has felt in the region of the genital organs; excessive sexual desire, an excitement which will and reason could hardly control." [Petroz about the fifth day of prover 2.]
M Great depression.
• "A lady, aged about 30 years, of sanguine-nervous temperament, had been, for five years, subject almost constantly to pain in her right hip, and a feeling of sinking at the stomach, which incapacitated her for sewing or knitting. She took but one dose [of Murex 200] and said, 'It made me miserable. I was so low-spirited that I gave up everything. I had no strength left. My stomach seemed gone and an intolerable creeping pain in my right hip kept me from getting any ease in any position.' I ought to add that this lady had been so well for the last eight months that I had not been in attendance upon her. The duration of the effect of the medicine in her case was about five days."1
During climacteric.
M Sadness > LEUCORRHOEA.
M Aversion to conversation, due to confusion.
G Diseases of women attended with sudden prostration, sinking and faintness.
G Neither chilly nor warm-blooded.
G Profuse PERSPIRATION during MENSES.
G GREAT HUNGER.
SINKING at stomach not > eating.
• "Violent hunger, even after eating." [Boger]
Ailments and sinking, all gone sensation in stomach.
[More so than in Sepia.]
Hungry craving for food at night.
• "In consequence of the great faintness and 'sinking at the stomach', [which, Dr. Lippe says, is a strong characteristic of Murex], in addition to the other symptoms which indicated this remedy, Murex 6c was prescribed, a powder every four hours [no higher potency being at hand]. July 3rd. The patient reports that in fifteen minutes after taking the first powder, she felt very hungry and ate something. After the second powder, a still greater degree of hunger; she again took food. After the third powder, she expressed herself as 'half starved' and had to have a hearty meal prepared, which she ate. She slept well. July 4th. After the first powder, this morning, the same sensation of hunger, though in a less degree than yesterday. In the region of the uterus she felt much better."2
G > Motion.
[But less so than in Sepia.]
• "I have noticed that I suffer more when sitting than when walking, and the pains, which I cease to feel when walking to and fro, return almost immediately when I resume the sitting posture." [prover 3 Petroz.]
G CROSSWISE pains.
[right ovary to left breast, right shoulder and left ovary].
G PROFUSE secretions [esp. menses and urine].
P Urine smells like valerian.
P Excessive secretion of urine.
Frequent necessity to rise at night to urinate.
P Soreness of uterus; consciousness of uterus.
P UTERINE affections very SIMILAR to SEPIA.
Bearing down pain in uterus.
> Crossing limbs; pressing on vulva.
< Standing. [cf. Sep. aversion to coition, Murx. violently excited sexually; Sep. menses weak and scanty, Murx. frequent and profuse with large clots.] [1-2] Dunham, Murex Purpurea; American Homoeopathic Review, January 1864. Rubrics Mind Amorous [1]. Anguish before menses [2]. Aversion to conversation [1]. Impatience from pain [1]. Women become lascivious at every touch [2/1]. Mistakes in speaking [1]. Nymphomania after suppressed menses [2]. Sadness before menses [2]. Head Heaviness alternating with clearness of mind [1/1]. Pain, in morning on waking, preceded by disagreeable dreams [1/1], during menses [2]; occiput, > bending head backwards [1].
Stomach
Appetite, increased, during daytime [1]. Emptiness, in morning before breakfast [1].
Abdomen
Pain, stitching, inguinal region, right side, extending to left mamma [3/1].
Bladder
Urging to urinate on waking at night [1].
Urine
Odour, valerian [1*].
Female
Leucorrhoea, itching, in menopause [2/1], during pregnancy [2]. Menses, too frequent, every two weeks [2], every three weeks [3]; protracted, ten to twelve days [2]. Sexual desire, increased, by least contact of parts [2], at menopause [2]. Sensation of swelling in labia majora [1*].
Chest
Pain, sore, mammae, during menses [1].
Limbs
Weakness, joints, during pregnancy [1/1].
Dreams
Sea [1]. Water [1].
Perspiration
Profuse, during menses [2].
Skin
Sensation of dryness as if skin would crack [1*].
* Repertory additions [Dunham].
Food
Worse: [1]: Onions.

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